Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The launch of #AyokoNgPlastik Movement of WWF-Philippines together with Ayala Malls and partners

Pollution is everywhere, there are like seven types of pollution. One of which is the plastic pollution. It is a serious problem all over the world. We as individual can put this to stop by making small steps and discipline starting from our home.

“Plastic pollution is a serious threat not only to marine life but to human life as well. Plastics don’t completely degenerate and just break down into small pieces ─ microplastics ─ which are ingested by the fish that we eat. The possibility of plastics ending up on dinner plates is a serious concern and a health hazard,” said Joel Palma, WWF-Philippines President and CEO.

Uniting
under the call to end plastic pollution, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Philippines, together with Ayala Malls and other partner corporations,
officially launched the #AyokoNgPlastik movement at Glorietta 2 Activity
Center.

With eight
million tons of plastic ending up in oceans every year, the Philippines ranks
as the world’s third plastic polluter of oceans. The #AyokoNgPlastik movement
hopes to address these alarming facts by bringing together companies, individuals,
and other sectors to minimize and eventually put a stop to single-use plastics
such as straws, bags, bottles, and cups. Refusing these is a simple yet strong
first step that individuals can take to commit to a sustainable lifestyle,
especially since the harm that these materials cause directly affect humans.

The movement
is one of the major projects of WWF-Philippines this year. Initiated by its
Next Generation Council (NGC), the goal is to raise awareness and encourage
individuals to live more consciously and for businesses to operate more
sustainably. Introduced during the event, the NGC is made up of young movers
and shakers who heeded the call to spread WWF-Philippines’ conservation
thrusts. Headed by The Net Group Chair Raymond Rufino, members include
television host and columnist Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi, Philux COO Stephanie
Kienle-Gonzalez, Magsaysay Transport and Logistics COO Jesse Maxwell, Teach for
the Philippines CEO Clarissa Delgado, The Moment Group Co-Founder and Creative
Director Abba Napa, and former WWF-Philippines National Youth Council Chairperson
Alexa Cancio.

"Driven
by deep concern, every member of the NGC is volunteering time, energy and
resources to reduce single-use plastic pollution in the country. The
challenge is daunting but we are determined and committed," stated Rufino.

Ayala Malls,
one of the biggest shopping mall developers in the Philippines, has also
expressed support for the movement. As part of the Ayala group of companies
(recognized by the United Nations as a sustainable development pioneer), Ayala
Malls is committed to driving sustainable business and living practices across
their many developments.

“Sustainability
has long been a priority for Ayala Malls and we’re especially proud to have the
chance to continue the momentum with WWF. We launched our initial campaign in
2009, with the aim to bring focus to the importance of sustainable living, and
last year we established our intent for no plastic shopping bags across Ayala
Malls. We are thrilled to have found a partner in WWF for #AyokoNgPlastik
campaign, as we work together for a more sustainable future for the
Philippines,” said Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Malls Deputy Head.

“We’re very grateful
to have a number of companies join the movement this early on. With their
involvement, it makes it easier for Filipinos to veer away from plastic and
choose a sustainable alternative instead. We’re hoping to get more partners to
participate in this cause,” Palma remarked.

WWF-Philippines
National Ambassadors Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez, who hosted the kickoff
event, both stressed the importance of every Filipino’s participation in the
movement and how this can contribute to positive environmental change by
stating how cleaning up oceans and coastlines is essential in restoring marine
life and reiterating the importance of preventing pollutants from entering the
oceans.

“We’re very
happy to see the growing number of people interested in beach cleanups. Now the
challenge we must all take is to go beyond the beach and do whatever it takes
to reduce our own carbon footprint,” Fernandez said.

“The amount
of trash being collected during cleanups is just unimaginable. Everyone needs
to realize that our trash is never actually gone and just ends up somewhere
else. We need to be responsible travelers and consumers and avoid single-use
plastics and recycle what we can,” Nelson added.

If
production and usage of plastic remain unchanged, experts predict that there
could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Everyone is invited to
take part in the #AyokoNgPlastik movement and can find more details through
WWF-Philippines’ social media pages or the official #AyokoNgPlastik Facebook
group, which now has almost 3,000 members since its launch 2 months ago.

WWF National Ambassadors Rovilson Fernandez, Iza Calzado, and Marc Nelson
wearing #AyokoNgPlastik shirts, which are available from October 16 to 21 at
Trinoma and Glorietta

About
WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most
respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million
supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is
to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a
future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's
biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is
sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-Philippines has been
working as a national organization of the WWF network since 1997. As the 26th
national organization in the WWF network, WWF-Philippines is successfully implementing
various conservation projects to help protect some of the most
biologically-significant ecosystems in Asia.

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I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend..etc. I wear different hats in different strokes. I write to let my thoughts flow like a river. This is my way of expressing the deepest side of me. You may like me or hate me with what you can read here in my pages. But one thing is for sure, I do not sugar-coat a thing. What you can read is what you can get from me.